Latest Area News Headlines

ST. PAUL – Minnesota House Speaker-designate Kurt Daudt has appointed State Representative Joe Schomacker of Luverne as Chairman of the newly created Aging & Long-Term Care Policy Committee in the Minnesota House.

Schomacker said the new committee is necessary because there continues to be a crisis within the long term care industry – particularly with its workforce – as more and more baby boomers age and retire.

Schomacker said both Democrats and Republicans have done just enough over the years to say they’ve begun addressing long term care needs, but workers within the...

WORTHINGTON – DISTRICT 518 Superintendent John Landgaard shared with the School Board some current and projected enrollment numbers at the district’s three schools during Tuesday night’s meeting, showing without a doubt that the schools are overcrowded.

At Prairie Elementary, which was built to house 1,150 students, there are currently 1,201. Projected for the 2015-16 school year are 1,243, with that number up to approximately 1,274 the following school year.

At the middle school, there are currently 842 students. That is expected to rise to 886 next year and hit 935 by the...

LUVERNE - A plea agreement for the South Dakota man who was making a cell phone banking transaction while driving when he fatally struck Andrea Boeve of Steen on her a bicycle calls for the felony conviction to eventually be erased from his record, the prosecutor said Tuesday.

Christopher Weber, age 25 a member of the South Dakota National Guard, will be sentenced in Rock County District Court on Dec. 8 to 360 days in jail spread over three years and 300 hours of community service.

WORTHINGTON – During Tuesday morning’s Nobles County Commissioner meeting, Administrator Tom Johnson announced that the application put together by a subcommittee of the NEON group was selected for the Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) program.

Blandin Broadband Communities builds on the success of the Demonstration Community component of the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC) program, which was funded by federal grant dollars and administered by the foundation.

According to the Blandin website, 10 new communities were to be selected. Teams will receive planning...

SLAYTON – Murray County Commissioner John Giese died early Sunday morning at his home in Slayton. Giese, who was 79, had served on the Murray County Board since 2007 and was the current Chairman.

His term was to end Jan 1, 2015, and due to health issues, he did not run for re-election.

Giese grew up in Mountain Lake and Jeffers. He was a branch manager for Farm Credit in Slayton for 29 years, retiring in 2000. Giese also was a charter member for the Buffalo Ridge Ducks Unlimited and Oak Ridge Gobblers of the National Wild Turkey Federation. He also belonged to the Friends...

ADRIAN – Two people received non-life threatening injuries Saturday when a Chevrolet Impala rear-ended a snowplow on I-90 near Adrian. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the MnDOT snow plow was in the eastbound left lane with its blade lifted. Driver Mark Holtz, 60, of Magnolia, was preparing to make a u-turn, when the Impala, driven by 28-year-old Kyle King of Rock Rapids, Iowa, approached in the right lane and failed to see the plow because of the blowing snow. King hit the plow as he attempted to pass. He and a passenger, 14-year-old Jaylen Klein, were taken to Sanford Worthington...

WORTHINGTON – Charges have filed in Nobles County District Court against Majuang Thomas Ojulu after a high speed chase that took place Thursday out of Worthington and into Rock County.

According to information released by the Chief Troy Appel of the Worthington Police Department, Ojulu was associated with a stolen vehicle in Worthington and had active warrants. A Worthington officer was advised the stolen vehicle was located and traveling east on Industrial Boulevard. The officer met the vehicle and recognized the driver as Ojulu. As the officer gave chase, Ojulu increased his...

WORTHINGTON – District 518 Community Education will be celebrating its 40th anniversary with an open house from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Community Ed office at 117 11th Avenue. Community members, past and present participants, stakeholders and staff are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served and a short presentation will be given every 45 minutes. They include the Even Start Family Literacy pre-school children at 3:35 p.m., the Celebration Chorus at 4:15 p.m., ABE program at 5:15 and Community Connectors and El Sistema participants at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the...

WORTHINGTON – Charges have been filed in Nobles County District Court against Sarah Elizabeth Nealy, 36, of Worthington, for one count of vehicular operation causing bodily harm, driving while impaired, interfering with a peace officer, reckless driving and careless driving.

The criminal complaint states authorities were called Saturday to the scene of an accident with injuries in the 1700 block of North Burlington, where they found Nealy in her vehicle with a beer on the floor. The vehicle was in a front yard and the nearby light pole showed signs of being hit. Nealy confirmed to...